Type-writer



(No Model.)

J. F. MQLAUGHLIN.

TYPE WRITER.

Patented Peb'.'18, 1890..

INVENTOR I Attorney WITNESSES:

N, PETERS, Phnln-Lifluognpher. Washinglou. uc.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

- JAMES F. MOLAUGHIQIN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA} TYPE-WRITER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 421,838, dated February 18, 1890.

4 Application filed May 31, 1889. Serial No.312,'780. (N model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN,

. ing key.

In machines of this character, after the end of a line of writing has been reached, it isdesir-able that the movement of the carriage be automatically reversed and returned to its starting-point. Such automatic reverse movements I have shown in Letters Patent granted to me September 13, 1887, No. 369,954; in Letters Patent granted to me August 2, 1887, No. 367,650, and in various pending applications, notably in my application filed June 5, 1888,

Serial No. 27 6,151, and in my application filed.

September 19, 1888, Serial No. 285,819. In all these cases there is a ratchet or rack bar mounted upon the traveling carriage, and a suitably-actuated feed-bar, operating either directly or indirectly the ratchet or rack bar, propels the carriage forward one letter-space after each imprint, and means are provided for disengaging the ratchet or rack bar from the actuating mechanism when the end of a line of writing is reached, so that by a suitable force, which may be supplied either by a spring or a weight, the carriage can be antomatically returned to its starting-point.

In myaforesaid pending applications, and in others of like character, where a rack-bar is used instead of a ratchet-bar, there is a pinionor cog wheel normally engaging the rack-bar, and the feed-arm operates primarily to give a partial rotation to said pinion. When the end of a line of writingis reached, the rack-bar is moved out of engagement with the pinion, after which the return movement takes place; and my present invention,

ents, has reference to the means for throwing the rack-bar into and out of engagement with the actuating-pinion, the object being to simplify the mechanism, so as to render the movement of the rack-bar easier and to reduce the cost of the machine, All this will more fully appear from the following detailed description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof. and in which only so much of the carriage of the typewriter is shown as is required to a clear understanding of my specific invention. Figure 1 is a plan view, partly in section, of the frame of the type-writer carriage'suitably modified in accordance with my invention, and showing only such parts of the carriage as have a co-operative relation to the movable rack-bar. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of so much of the carriage as is shown in Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4 are vertical sectional views on line 00 as, Fig. 1, showing the rack-bar in its two positions; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line y-y of Figs. 1 and 2.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout all the drawings.

The frame 1 of the carriage is rectangular in shape, being composed of the front and rear bars 2 3 and the side bars 4 5, and constructed substantially in the manner described in my aforesaid applications, with such slight differences as are required to adaptthe same to the special features of my present invention.

The carriage is supported at the front by an anti-friction roller 6', journaled to thefront bar 2 about midway of its length and arranged, in a manner well understood by those skilledin the art to which this invention relates, to travel on a track on the mainframe of the type-writer. (Not here shown.) At the rear the carriage is supported on another track or rod (not here shown) by means of anti-friction fiangedrollers 7 7, suitably journaled in the rear bar of the frame, either directly or in blocks or brackets rising from the same. By preference these rollers 7 7 travel on a supporting-track, and are constructed in the manner set forth in my aforesaid application, Serial No. 300,254; but for the purposes of my present invention this is of noconsequence. Thus it will appear that if not otherwise obstructed the carriage may move longitudinally upon its tracks from one end of the supporting-frame to the other, and it is thus moved step by step in one direction by the feeding mechanism actuating a pinion 8 and in the other direction by a force supplied by a spring or weight. The pinion 8 is fitted for engagement wit-h the rack-bar 9, which is connected with the rear bar 3 of the carriageframe in the following manner: At each end of said rear bar there is secured, downwardly projecting from the same, a thimble 10, consisting of a square rod having a cylindrical bore, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, which bore communicates with an opening 11, formed in the corresponding end of the rear bar 3. The bore in the thimble does not extend quite through the lower end of the same, leaving this end closed, except for a small hole formed in said end, through which passes a pin 12, the downwardly-projeeting end of which is screw-threaded, as shown, and the rack-bar 9 extends between these pins, to which it is connected. Each pin 12 is formed with a head 13, in which a slot is formed for the insertion of a screw-driver, and fiat beveled bearing-surfaces, formed on two opposite sides of the head, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, give to these heads the appearance of truncated cones; but, as will presently appear, only one of these bearingsurfaces is essential. A helical spring 14is placed within the thimble between the lower end of the same and the head 13 of the pin 12. The use of the openings 11 in the rear bar of the carriage-frame will now be apparent, for it allows the insertion of a screw-driver, by means .of which the pins. 12 are screwed into the ends of the rack-bar. Transversely through the thimbles are formed rectangular slots 15, which are in alignment with each other, and through these slots extends the rectangular sliding bar 16, whichis thus parallel both with the rear bar 3 of the carriage-frame and with the raclcbar 9. This sliding bar 16, being mounted on the rear of the carriagei'rame, will hereinafter be referred to as the rear sliding bar, as distinguished from the sliding bar 17, hereinafter described, which will be referred to as the front sliding bar.

The rear sliding bar passes loosely through the rectangular slots 15, so that it can be moved longitudinally without perceptible friction.

On the under side of the rear sliding bar,-and near each end of the same, there is formed a notch or recess 18, one endof which is vertical, as shown, while the other end of it is formed with a beveled face 19, and these two notches are at such distance apart that in one position of the rear sliding bar one of them will occupy the position within the bore of one thimble,while the other will be within the bore of the other thimble, and when the rear sliding bar is in this position the helical springs 14. will expand and will force the pins 12 and the rack-bar secured thereto upwardly to the position indicated in Figs. 2, 4,

and 5, but most clearly seen in Fig. 4. If now the rear sliding bar or'the carriage is shifted longitudinally with relation to the other, one of the inclined bearing-faces of the heads 13 of pins 12 will actas cams upon the inclined faces 19 of the notches 13; or these inclined faces may be said to act as cams upon the heads of the pins, whereby the latter will be forced downwardly against the tension of the helical springs 14, carrying with them the rack-bar, whereby the latter is brought to the position shown in Fig. 3. Near one end of the bar 16, and beyond the outer face of the corresponding thimble 10, there is fixed to said bar 16 a laterally-projecting pin 20, which, when the bar 16 is dis- 1 placed with relation to the carriage-frame in one direction, eventually comes in contact with the outer face of said thiinble 10, and thus serves as a limiting-stop for the bar 16. The displacement-of the bar 16 with relation to the carriage in the other direction is limited by the heads 13 of the pins 12 striking against the vertical ends of the notches 18, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Thus it. will be seen that by shifting the rear sliding bar longitudinally with relation to the carriageframe in one direction the rack-bar 9 is depressed, and thus made to mesh with the pinion 3, while by shifting the rear sliding bar with relation to the carriage-frame in the other direction the rack-bar is raised, and thus thrown out of gear with the pinion 8.

As has been stated above, in the normal printing operation the pinion 8 is givena partial rotation after each imprint, or upon the depression of'a spacing-key, as in all machines of this character, by mechanism not here shown, since it forms no part of my present invention, so that whenever the rackbar is in its depressed position the carriage will be fed forward intermittently to produce the spaces between letters and words, and if the rack-bar is in its raised position the carriage will be free to be returnel to its initial position by any suitable force, such as is supplied by a spring or weight. The means for thus returning the carriage to its initial po-.

sition are not herein shown, nor is this necessary, since for the purposes of my invention any suitable mechanism may be used for this purpose, and since my present invention is confined to the mechanism for raising and lowering the rack-bar when the rear sliding bar is shifted. The means for thus shifting the rear sliding bar are preferably, but not necessarily, the same as those shown in my application, Serial No. 300,254, slightly modified, as will presently appear.

Mounted upon the rear sliding bar 16 is a casting 21, consisting of an expanded block 22, through which a rectangular slot (not shown) is formed for the passage therethrough of the bar 16, and a tail-piece 23, extending downwardly from the expanded head, which, when the carriage travels in the direction of its feed indicated by arrow I), eventually comes in contact with a fixedlug (not shown) on the main frame of the type-writer. This casting 21 is adjustable upon the rear sliding bar, and can be clamped in any adjusted position by means of a screw-rod 24, which passes through a slot 25 in rear bar 3, and through a screw-threaded hole'in the upper part of the casting. The casting is adjusted upon the rear sliding bar 16 by means of an arm 26, formed on and projecting froma boss 27 of one of the two paper-guides 28 28, and provided with a forked end 29, constructed to embrace the expanded head 22 of casting The prongs of this fork, however, are sufficiently far apartto allow the casting to remain relatively fixed, while the carriage, with the arm 26, may move a limited distance, as will hereinafter appear.

The paper-guides 28 are adjustable, as described in my former application, by means of right and left handed screws 30 31'on the rod 32, and passing through nuts formed in the bosses 27. The rod 32 is j ournaled in the side bars 4 5 of the carriage and extends beyond the bar4, where it is provided with a milled-head 33, by means of which it may be rotated. It will now be understood that by rotatir g the rod 32 the paper-guides 28 will be adjusted toward and from each other, and simultaneously with such adjustment the casting will be moved along bar 16,'provided the clamp screw-rod 24 has first been-loosened. The screw-rod 24 is extended upwardly in front of and above the scale-frame 34, and is provided with a milled head 35, by means of which it may be manipulated. This screw-rod 24 thus serves as a pointer pr indicator for the scale displayed upon the frame 34, but not shownin the drawings,because the same is engraved on the front side of the scale-plate.

The point to which the casting 21 is adjusted on the rear sliding bar determines the end of the line of printing, for, according to the position of this casting on the bar16, it will come in contact with the fixed lug on the frame of the machine hereinbefore referred to,but not shown, sooner or later, and since the paperguides are adjusted together with the casting 21 the end of the line of writingwill always have a definite relation to the edge of the a To a point near the end of the rear sliding bar 16, adjacent to the side bar 5, is looseiy'pivoted the downwardly-projecting end 36 of a lever 37, centrally pivoted by a screw, pin, or other suitable means to a lug 38, projecting inward from the side bar 5 of the carriage. The other end of the lever 37 is connected by a knuckle-joint 39 with another lever 40, centrally pivoted to a lug 41, projecting from the side bar 5. The joint 39 may be a ball-andsocket joint, with a limited longitudinal play to permit the joined ends of the levers to pass to either side of the central line, or any other suitable joint may be used. The lever 40 has itsother or free end turned downward to form a finger 42 (indicated in Fig. 5) in the line of travel of the front sliding bar 17, mounted on the front bar 2 of the carriage-frame, and which I therefore designate as the front sliding bar. This front sliding bar is movable longitudinally on the inner side of the frontbar 2, and passes through abearing 1n the side bar 4. It is provided beyond the side bar 4 with a head 43, designed to operate the linespacing mechanism of the machine; but neither the construction of the head nor of the said line-spacing mechanism is here shown or described, as they form no part .of this invention, and are fully shown and described in my former application.

The front sliding bar 17 may be rectangular in shape throughout a portion of its length, and'is then reduced to a cylindrical form, as shown at 17, which reduced portion'enters a sleeve 44, fixed on the front bar 2. Beyond this cylindrical portion 17 the bar 17 is still further reduced for the remainder of its length, as shown at45, which reduced portion extends through and beyond the end of the sleeve 44 within a short distance of the finger 42 of'lever 40, and surrounded within the sleeve by 'when the'carriage moves inthe direction of the arrow to.

Assumingnow that the casting 21 has been .adjusted as desired and clamped to the bar 16, then as the carriage is moved forward in the direction of arrow 1) by the feed mechanism acting upon the pinion' 8, with which the rack-bar 9 is then in engagement, as shown in I Fig. 3, the tail-piece 23 will be; brought into contact with the fixed lug on the main frame, hereinbefore referred to. This lug holds the casting and the bar 16 against further movement, while the carriage is'stillfed forward. I

During the feeding motion of the carriage the position of the levers 37 and 40 1s, as indicated in dotted lines, with the free end of lever 40, a considerable distance from the end of the prolongation 45 of the front sliding bar 17 5 but as soon as the rear sliding bar is stopped by the engagement of the tail piece 23 with the fixed lug on the main frame, and as the feeding motion of the carriage continues the levers 37 and 40 are turned into the'position shown in solid lines by reason of the loose. pivotal connection between the rear end of lever 37 and the end of the rear sliding bar. This change of position of the levers 37 40 carries the finger 42 at the free end of lever 40 within a short distance from the end of the prolongation 45 of the front sliding bar. The feeding travel of the carriage continues until the heads 13 of the pins 12 are propelled upwardly by springs 14 along the inclined faces of the notches 18, finally abutting against the vertical end of said notches, as shown in Fig. 4. This upward movement of the pins 12 disengages the raclcbar 9 from the pinion 8, and the carriage, not being now held by the feed mechanism, is free to move backward in the direction of arrow to to its initial position, and it is thus moved backward by a suitable spring or weight, as shown in my former patents and applications. Before the return movement of the carriage is completed the lug 47 on the front sliding bar 17 comes into contact with the fixed stop in its path, and the said bar is held against further movement, while the carriage continues its retrograde travel. The spring 46 is thereby compressed between the end of the sleeve 44 and the cylindrical portion 17' of the bar 17, and the finger 42 of lever 40 is brought into contact with the end of the extended portion45 of bar 17. The outer ends of the levers 37 and 40, and consequently the rear sliding bar 16, will thus be held stationary during the re mainder of the retrograde movement of the carriage, while the pivots of the levers and their knuckle joint ends will move with the carriage until these levers again assume the normal relative position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rear sliding bar 16 being held stationary, it will be seen that as the carriage carries the rack-bar along with it during the remainder of its return movement the heads 13 of the pins 12 will be forced against the inclined faces 19 of the notches 18, moving downwardly upon said inclined faces until they bear on the under side of the bar 16, thus depressing the rack-bar against the.

action of the helical springs 14, and again throwing said rack-bar into gear with the pinion 8, as shown in Fig. 3. When now the carriage is again moved forward, the front sliding bar 17 is returned to its normal position by the recoil of the spring 46. On the retrograde movement of the carriage the head 43, on the front sliding bar 17, will operate the line-spacing mechanism, as fully shown and described in my former application, Serial No. 285,819, which for the purposes of this case need not be considered.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the end of a line of writing is gaged by the position of the casting 21, while the beginning of a line of writing is gaged by the position on the main frame of the fixed stop, against which the lug 47 on the front sliding bar strikes at the end of the return movement of the carriage; but for the purposes of my present invention I am not dependent upon these means.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a type-writer having a carriage-feed and automatic return mechanism, the combination, with a rack-bar movable into and out of engagement with the carriage-feed mechanism, of sliding spring-actuated supportingpins for said bar, and a sliding bar with camnotches to engage the ends of said pins,-substantially as described.

2. In a type-writer having a carriage-feed and automatic return mechanismflhe combination, with a rack-bar movable into and out of engagement with the carriage-feed mechanism, of sliding spring-actuated supportingpins for said bar, slotted thimbles depending from the carriage-frame and receiving the said pins, and a sliding bar extending through the slots in said thimbles and provided with cam-notches to engage the ends of the pins, substantially as described.

3. In a type-writer having a carriage-feed and automatic return mechanism, the combination, with a rack-bar movable into and out of engagement with the carriage-feed mechanism, of sliding supporting-pins for said-bar, slotted thimbles depending from the carriageframe and receiving the said pins, springs surrounding the pins within the thimbles and tending to elevate the rack-bar, and a sliding bar extending through the slots in the said thimbles and provided with cam-notches to engage the ends of the pins, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES F. MCLAUGHLIN.

WVitnesses:

THos. H. HUNTER, WILsON R. KER. 

